Mourinho's Real Madrid Stuns Barcelona to End Nine-Game Streak
Kylian Mbappe scored twice to reach 100 goals for the club, helping the visitors defeat their rivals 2-1 at Camp Nou and seize the head-to-head record.
By Chloe Edwards ·
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho slid on his knees across the pitch at Camp Nou after his team defeated Barcelona 2-1 on Sunday night. The victory ended the host’s nine-game winning streak in the Spanish top flight and gave the visitors the all-time lead in their head-to-head record with 107 wins to Barcelona’s 106.
Kylian Mbappe provided the decisive moment for the visitors. The 27-year-old forward scored twice to bring his season total to 14 goals. His second goal marked his 100th for Real Madrid across all competitions since joining the club from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
The win arrived just one day before the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London. Mbappe is a frontrunner for the award following a campaign in which he won the Golden Boot at the World Cup and finished as the top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League last season. He is currently the second-highest scorer in La Liga this season.
Barcelona entered the match as the clear favorites. A victory would have broken Real Madrid’s record for the best start to a La Liga season, set by the 1968-69 team. Instead, the hosts suffered their second consecutive defeat, coming days after a loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Real Madrid’s form has improved under Mourinho. After defeats to Real Betis and Atletico Madrid in September, the team has won five consecutive matches. Those results include three in La Liga and two in the Champions League.
The team’s recent stability is narrowing the gap in the standings. After ten matches, Real Madrid sits third in La Liga with 24 points. Barcelona leads the table, and Atletico Madrid sits in second place with 25 points. The gap between the first and third teams is now just one point.
Mourinho returned to the managerial role at Real Madrid after two seasons for the club without trophies. The Portuguese manager last won a league title in 2014-15 with Chelsea. His previous spell at Real ended 13 years ago, during which he led the team to three trophies, including a record-breaking La Liga title.
Mourinho stated that the win serves as a foundation for the season. "If we win today but lose at El Sardinero, it counts for nothing, because Madrid isn’t playing to win at the Camp Nou," he said. "They’re playing to win the championship."
Source: Al Jazeera
